Skip to main content
Log in

Abstract

Let G be a semisimple Lie group of rank ⩾2 and Γ an irreducible lattice. Γ has two natural metrics: a metric inherited from a Riemannian metric on the ambient Lie group and a word metric defined with respect to some finite set of generators. Confirming a conjecture of D. Kazhdan (cf. Gromov [Gr2]) we show that these metrics are Lipschitz equivalent. It is shown that a cyclic subgroup of Γ is virtually unipotent if and only if it has exponential growth with respect to the generators of Γ.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. H. Behr, Endliche Erzangbarkeit arithmetischer Gruppen über Functionenkörpern,Invent. Math. 7 (1969), 1–32.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  2. A. Borel,Introduction aux Groupes arithmétiques, Hermann, 1969.

  3. A. Borel, J. Tits, Groupes réductifs,Publ. Math. IHES,27 (1965), 55–110.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  4. A. Borel, J. Tits, Éléments unipotents et sous-groupes paraboliques de groupes réductifs,Invent. Math. 12 (1971), 95–104.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. H. Garland andM. S. Raghunathan, Fundamental domains for lattices inR-rank one semisimple Lie groups,Ann. of Math.,92 (1970), 279–326.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  6. M. Gromov, Hyperbolic groups,8 (1980), Springer-Verlag, in “Essays in Group Theory”, Ed. S. M. Gersten, M.S.R.I. series.

  7. M. Gromov, Asymptotic invariants of infinite groups, Geometric Group Theory, Proceedings of the symposium held in Sussex, July 1991, vol. 2. Eds. G. A. Niblo and M. A. Roller. LMS,Lecture Notes series 182, Cambridge University Press, 1993.

  8. G. Harder, Minkowskische Reductions Theorie über Functionenkörpern,Invent. Math. 7 (1969), 33–54.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  9. G. Harder, Über die Galoiskohomologie halbeinfacher algebraicher Gruppen, III,J. Reine Angew. Math. 274/275 (1975), 125–138.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  10. G. J. Janusz,Algebraic Number Fields, Academic Press, 1973.

  11. M. Kneser, Schwache Approximation in Algebraische Gruppen, Colloque sur la théorie de groupes algébriques, Bruxelles, Louvain, Paris (1962), 41–52.

  12. B. Kostant, Lie algebra cohomology and the generalized Borel-Weil theorem,Ann. of Math. 74 (1961), 329–386.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  13. A. Lubotzky, Lattices in rank one Lie groups over local fields,Geometric and Functional Analysis 1 (1991), 405–431.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  14. A. Lubotzky, S. Mozes andM. S. Raghunathan, Cyclic subgroups of exponential growth and metrics on discrete groups,C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Série I,317 (1993), 735–740.

    MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. G. A. Margulis,Discrete Subgroups of Semisimple Lie Groups, Springer-Verlag, 1990.

  16. V. Platonov, A. Rapinchuk,Algebraic Groups and Number Theory, New York, Academic Press, 1994.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  17. M. S. Raghunathan,Discrete Subgroups of Lie Groups, Springer-Verlag, 1968.

  18. M. S. Raghunathan, Discrete subgroups of algebraic groups over local fields of positive characteristics,Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Math. Sci.) 99 (1989), 127–146.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  19. J.-P. Serre,Trees, Springer-Verlag, 1980.

  20. R. Steinberg,Lectures on Chevalley Groups, Yale University, 1968.

  21. W. P. Thurston, Groups, tilings and finite state automata,Lecture notes, AMS colloquium lectures (1990).

  22. J. Tits, Free subgroups in linear groups,J. of Algebra 20 (1972), 250–270.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  23. J. Tits, Classification of Algebraic Simple Groups, Algebraic Groups and Discontinuous Groups,Proc. Symp. Pure Math. No 9, AMS Providence (1966).

  24. T.N. Venkataramana, On super-rigidity and arithmeticity of lattices in semisimple groups,Invent. Math. 92 (1988), 255–306.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

About this article

Cite this article

Lubotzky, A., Mozes, S. & Raghunathan, M.S. The word and Riemannian metrics on lattices of semisimple groups. Publications Mathématiques de l’Institut des Hautes Scientifiques 91, 5–53 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02698740

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02698740

Keywords

Navigation